Details

The Icom IC-9100 is Icom’s new offering for the operator who is looking for a complete high performance radio that covers HF - UHF in one box. It offers 100 Watts output on all bands up to 2m, whilst on 70cms you get a healthy 75 Watts. An internal auto ATU is included which covers HF plus 50MHz.

The receiver has excellent sensitivity and tests show that it is well up to the IC-7600 performance. This is the first Icom wide range transceiver to offer two independent receivers and full duplex. This makes it ideal for both DX HF operation and satellite work on the higher bands. Indeed the IC-9100 is a landmark radio.

There are four band groups and each group has its own dedicated antenna socket (HF has two sockets) on the rear panel. The band groups being HF+50MHz, 144MHz, 430Hz and 1296MHz (the latter only being available if the option is fitted). General coverage receiver operation extends from 30kHz to 60MHz.

Modes covered are what you would expect, including SSB, CW, FM, AM, and with the option fitted, VHF/UHF digital voice mode. CW performance is well up to specification with QSK working extremely well and an advanced memory and contest keyer also built in. SSB reports were very good and the recovered audio was equally well up to expectations.

The conversion frequencies vary with each band group, but the one that many will be interested in is the HF range. Here the first IF is 64.455MHz in order to provide good image rejection. The basic bandwidth here is 15kHz, achieved with the standard fitted roofing filter. Additional roofing filters of 6kHz and 3kHz are available as additional fittings.

As is becoming more common now, the IC-9100 is fitted with a USB port that provides access to the outside world in terms of PC control and also passing audio and data. For those who need the feature, there is provision for a GPS receiver to be connected.

Radios that cover HF to UHF are not new by any means. But what Icom have done here with the IC-9100 is to produce a radio that is far less of a compromise than previous designs. Indeed, aspects of theIC-7600 and IC-7800 now appear in this radio, and if you have an interest in operating on all bands, with a compact single box station, the IC-9100 merits serious consideration. Indeed, at the present time (March 2011) it has no competitors that offer performance at this level.